Val McDermid fans - recommendations, please

[polyhymnia]

Have just binged my way through all 9 of the Val McDermid Tony Hill and Carol Jordan books and enjoyed them. Of all the other books she's written, which do those of you who are fans think are the best?

I think I may have read most of Val's books, with some of them it does help if they are in order!
Looking at her website & reading the blurb of them, the stand alone ones I'd recommend are:
Vanishing Point
The Distant Echo

All of the are very good though, apart from Northanger Abbey, I really didn't enjoy that & in fact didn't finish it!

I love A place of execution. In fact I think it's her best book.

Have you tried the Karen Pirie ones? I think you do have to read in order. I don't remember a single title, will have a look and come back. She began as a character solving an old case in St Andrews. The more recent ones are around Fife too but also in Edinburgh.

I recently realised I hadn't read any of her books and I love her as a person. I don't know where to start though. Any recommendations? I have seen wire in the blood on tv though

She is so likeable; she was brilliant on Christmas University Challenge. I was totally rooting for her to defeat Mary Archer's team in the final.

Thanks for this thread OP as I thought at the time I must read some books by this woman

Karen Pirie features in the following:
The Distant Echo
A Darker Domain
The Skeleton Road
Out of Bounds

All are good. KP runs a cold cases review unit in Police Scotland. Before thar she was in Fife. I think the case she solves in The Distant Echo is in an earlier book, but I'm not sure. I'll check back later.

She made my Christmas last year. Never read her stuff but am going to now. Thanks Val.

Yy to Karen Pirie.

The books she writes as VL McDermid are a bit different but still good.

Distant Echo was originally a standalone novel, but is actually book 1 of the Karen Pirie series. Fantastic Fiction lists them all.

Definitely worthwhile reading the different series in order. The Lindsey Gordon & Kate Brannigan are good but (in my opinion anyway), much lighter reads than her other books. Maybe because they're shorter?

I've read I think almost everything she's written, including short stories, and love it all apart from Northanger abbey. I started with Wire in the blood when it was first published and have been reading her ever since. I am very happy she writes so regularly.

Yes, the distant echo is the first in KP series. But I think the 4 students and the original crime are in another book. Obviously not Karen Pirie though, as she'd have been a child then. I will look in my stash, I might be wrong!

No, distant echo has the students. KP is a minor character in the "today" story, not the past story, of course.

The one I liked least is The Grave Tattoo

Aye, you seem to be right, HelenD! I've just had a lovely perusal of V Mc D's official website. Lots of interesting stuff there. I had it in my head there were 2 books set around St Andrews. I need to reread these books.

A Place of Execution is my favourite. I've read them all and love the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series.I gave upon Northanger Abbey though. After Val I moved onto Ian Rankin and the Rebus series and Peter May the Lewis trilogy.

Thank you to Bardolino for the Fantastic Fiction link. I've read all of Val's books, but was fascinated to see her recommendations. I shall try a few as I have been floundering for new authors now that my library's budget has been slashed so hard.

You're welcome! It was a librarian who introduced me to it and it's a fab reference tool.

If you want more suggestions, it's worth following Val on Twitter - she tweets a lot of recommendations from new and established authors.

I do love her books and am pleased to see another Tony Hill/carol Jordan is coming out in pb in August.

BTW has anyone seen VD out and about since she's been back living in Scotland? Those in central Scotland will know this isn't such a strange question really as one often sees well known writers just going about their business in Edinburgh and Glasgow. I've seen lots but never her. Yet!!

I'm a huge Val fan. Have read all of Tony and Carol and most of the standalone novels. I've seen her a few times at the Crime Festival in Harrogate and she is a brilliant interviewer and interviewee. However, have just finished Out of Bounds and was underwhelmed. Hoping that the new Tony and Carol suits me better.

I spoke to her last year during the Edinburgh Festival, saw her in Rose Street and had a chat about her standalone books, Bloody Scotland crime festival and libraries. She is very approachable and lives somewhere in the New Town area, as we saw her again in George Street and Queen street.

We saw Alexander McColl Smith and Ian Rankin as well but didn't want to bother them as they were having lunch together.
I want to Catronia McPherson's book lunch as well, she writes the Dandy Giliver books. She was very funny, and when signing my copy we had a chat about old Edinburgh night clubs of our youth.

I've seen others but not VD. I've seen Ian Rankin a few times. I know where his house is too! Last year I saw Ian R on one visit to the Filmhouse cafe, then on the next visit I saw the actress who plays DCI Templar in Rebus. In Glasgow I've seen Denise Mina, Lin Anderson, Alan Bissett. Various others too.

I'm a huge fan too and I loved Northanger Abbey!

She's also written a non-fiction book on all aspects of forensic police work. Very interesting.